New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-17
PROTIDE FOR NATTONAL DEFENCES.

The prospect OF decisive action respecting the
Nations defences on sea and land is not prom
Using. A large number of schemes have en-
crossed the attention OF both houses of Congress
and dozen important measures have either
passed the Senate or arc under the control oil
standing committees. The close Of the session,
however, is rapidly approaching, and with so
many rival projects in the field it is probable
that no adequate measure for increasing the
Navy or for strengthening the scaboard will be
enacted. The American people will be sorely
disappointed il Congress adjourns without taxi
ing some practical steps toward providing Tor
tho defence Of the country. They have no
desire to have large appropriations voted with
precipitate haste and without deliberaton They
| do not look for comprehensive and thoroughly
disestcd schemc of coast Notifications or naval
reconstruction. Public opinion will he satisfied
if some practical measure be adopted which will
mark the beginning of a system of National de-
fence.
Among the rival measures now claiming the
attention of Congress the most important arc
those passed ny the Senate for promoting the
manufacture of armor and gun-mctal and the
establishment of gun factories for the Army
ing the last five years by military and naval
commissions and ordnance officials has led
directly up to the propositions of these bills
This is the first and indispensable condition
of National defencc-that the conditions required
for the manufacture Of modern guns and war
material shall be domcsticaicd on American soil.
Congress last year authorized the construction
Of two ironclads, but no progress can he made
with their construction and armamcnts until the
plant for producing The amor and gun-mctal
has been secured. Equally premature will be
the passage Of measures for the construction of
guns of given weights and of armorcd land
turrcts for harbor defence. Armorcd ships can
not he built until sufficient inducements are
offered to manufacturers for the introduction Of
machinery for producing the armor in great
quantities. Gun-mctal cannot nc obtained
until facil tics are provided for manufacturing
II on large scale. rho Senate ordnance bills
begin at the bottom and provide for the csab-
lisbmcnt of the industries If the House will
take them up and pass them, it can afford to
hang up for a year every other measure for
National defence.
The chef Stumbling block in the way Of the
passage of these bills has not been obstruction
by professional economists. In despair Of re
ducing the surplus in any other way, the Dem
ocratrc leaders have been ready TO vote money
Unfortunately for public purposes. The
main source Of opposition is cocric Of self
interested schcmers and prctcnders who have
gun-making projects of their own and have
imposed upon the credulity OF Mr.. Randall and
other leaders. One man insists upon having
cast-iron guns made in place Of steel guns,
when the superiority of the latter is generally
recognized in Europe. Another man has a
nutichargc gun which he considers the most
important invention of the age. 1t may, OF
course. have all the merits claimed for it, bu;
system Of National defence ought not to bc
he'd III allegiance for the sake Of the multchargc
gun. Another man wants TO take the old Rod
man guns, cut Off section Of the tube, cast a
long iron tube with fange. fastcn il with
top-bolts to ring that is to be screwed on to
the gun, and then put a cylinder of steel inside
the chamber where the action Of gases is great
est These and many other projects are most
industriously advocated in committee rooms and
outside the Capitol. All these side issues should
be swept aside by the House Appropriations
Committee The Senate bills should not he
endangered by problcmatcal devices and selfish